About The ULC

The Union League is a social club providing its members and guests with a quiet sanctuary and relief from the hustle of the city. The dining rooms reflect a subdued elegance with a chef and wine cellar that compare favorably with any in the city or, members can drop by the club room for a light lunch or supper.

Members gather cordially for social events, theatre evenings, wine tastings or just to meet friends for a convivial drink at the bar.

An active speaker program includes Public Affairs forums which have hosted outstanding speakers on current events since the 1880’s as well as library events with notable authors.

The Club bestows four awards: The Lincoln Literary Award to outstanding American authors, The Theodore Roosevelt American Experience Award to individuals who have "enriched the American experience", The American History Award to an individual who has had a significant and/or enduring impact on, or relating to American History, and The Eastman Johnson Award to individuals whose unique contributions to art and culture have elevated the ideals of American Citizenship.

The Clubhouse

Architect Benjamin Wystar Morris (1870-1944) designed the Clubhouse at 37th Street and Park Avenue and built it on property that once belonged to the family J.P. Morgan. It was completed in 1931. The Georgian exterior, with its symmetrical red brick facade, reflects familiar motifs from Park Avenue brownstone mansions, but on a grand ten-story scale. The architectural ensemble formed by the entrance foyer and grand staircase stands as one of Morris’s great successes and as a New York landmark interior. It is the Union League Club’s fourth Clubhouse.

Our Role in History

Founded in 1863 by a group of concerned citizens to help preserve the Union, the Union League Club of New York has built, over ensuing years, a record of distinguished service to our country. Members of The Union League Club were instrumental in establishing The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870 as well as the Sanitary Commission, a predecessor organization to the American Red Cross. It helped erect the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor and the Lincoln Monument in Union Square. Its members were instrumental in bringing down the “Boss” Tweed ring and in raising funds to outfit American soldiers in several conflicts.

Many prominent civic, state and national leaders have enjoyed the fellowship of the ULC. Theodore Roosevelt managed his early political career from the Club’s chambers. J. Pierpont Morgan was a regular, along with John Jay, William Cullen Bryant, Chester A. Arthur, and Thomas Nast. Fifteen Presidents, seven Senators, many Congressmen, diplomats, cabinet members, and scores of CEOs of major corporations have been members of the Club during the past hundred and fifty years and have participated in its programs.